Psalm 66—Artwork

Learn more about Christ in the Psalms artwork and download artwork guides here.

Person: Jennie Pitts

Jennie is originally from Austin, Texas and graduated with a BFA from Baylor University in 2011. She started her own business in 2014—“Jennie Lou Art”—and now works as a full-time artist in Denver. She specializes in “live wedding/event painting”, and custom pieces. Her studio is in the RiNo Arts District at the Globeville Riverfront Arts Center (G.R.A.Ce.). Find out more information on her website: jennielouart.com.

Piece

Acrylic

Process

Come and see what God has done:
he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.
He turned the sea into dry land;
they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him,
who rules by his might forever,
whose eyes keep watch on the nations—
let not the rebellious exalt themselves.
(Psalm 66:5-7 ESV)

In prayer, I kept coming back to “He turned sea into dry land, they passed throughthe river on foot”, and then, “whose eyes keep watch on the nations”—as I painted, I focused on God’s perspective from the Heavens, as he keeps a close watch on His people. My hope is for this piece to be a visual reminder of how God brought us out of Egypt, and even still, continues to bring us out of our own slavery. I can often feel small and overwhelmed by circumstances and sin, only to remember the hope I have in Christ to help me in my weaknesses.

Psalm 66 reminds us of God’s severe mercy in choosing to save His people from destruction. Meditating on his continual faithfulness towards a faithless people changes hearts, and humbles the rebellion in all of us—“let not the rebellious exalt themselves.” This piece illustrates that despite how small we may feel in God’s presence, he hears our voices and listens to our prayers—“But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer” (v.19).

The painting is abstract in style, meant to loosely depict the ocean and a small sanctuary of dry land. The gold-outlined “dry land” with tiny dots of various colors represents Israel and the diversity of God’s people. The ocean surrounding it is made up of rich and powerful deep blues/turquoise/white brushstrokes and water “washes”. The rich juxtaposition of the tumultuous ocean and the quiet land are meant to point to the ever-present power and covenantal love of God towards His people.

in Blog • Christ in the Psalms Artwork

August 13, 2017

We’re in Psalm 76 this Sunday at Park Church, continuing our annual summer series, Christ in the Psalms. Here’s how you can prepare for worship:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 76.

Psalm 76 portrays God as a majestic and ferocious Lion Warrior who defends His home and delivers His people by devouring their enemies through His righteous judgment. This vision of God should evoke awe from His people and fear from all who reject His rule.

As you read the passage, consider asking yourself the following three questions:

  1. How does this Psalm help me pray?
  2. How does this Psalm help me feel?
  3. How does this Psalm help me see Jesus?

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 46:1–11

Grace Alone (Dustin Kensrue)
Always (Kristian Stanfill, Jason Ingram)

CONFESSION OF SIN: Based on Proverbs 3:5–8; 1 John 1:9

Gracious Lord, You remind us in your Word
that if we confess our sins
You are faithful and just to forgive us.
Not only do You forgive us,
but You also cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
What kindness we find when we run to You!

Today we confess we have not trusted You with our whole heart,
We have leaned on our own understanding instead of Yours.
We have not acknowledged You in all our ways
And we’ve walked on crooked paths.
We’ve been wise in our own eyes;
Rather than fear You, we’ve gone headfirst into evil.

For this waywardness, forgive and cleanse us!
Help us fear You and walk in Your ways.
Not in our name, but in the powerful name of Jesus we pray!
Amen.

How Marvelous (I Stand Amazed) (Charles H. Gabriel)

Here Is Love (William Rees, arr. Matt Redman)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: Romans 5:6–11

GREETING, SERMON, COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Crown Him (Majesty) (Bridges, Cash, Elvey, Maher, Thring, Tomlin)
Your Great Name (Krissy Nordhoff)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

August 6, 2017

We continue Christ in the Psalms this week at Park Church with Psalm 75. Here’s how you can prepare for worship:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 75.

Psalm 75 answers some of the questions raised in Psalm 73 and 74. What is the end of the wicked? When will You act, God? How long, O Lord? God has a set time when He will judge the boastful and the wicked, through the means of the cup of His wrath.

As you read the passage, consider asking yourself the following three questions:

  1. How does this Psalm help me pray?
  2. How does this Psalm help me feel?
  3. How does this Psalm help me see Jesus?

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 96:1–4;11–13

Praise To The Lord The Almighty (Joachim Neander)
His Mercy Is More (Matt Boswell, Matt Papa)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From Every Season Prayer by Scotty Smith

Dear heavenly Father,
when we were dead in our sins and trespasses,
You raised us to new life in Christ.
We praise You for so great a salvation,
so glorious a hope, and so firm a standing in grace.
We humble ourselves before You today,
in gratitude and repentance.

Forgive us for our attitudes that deny Your grace.
Forgive us for our words that violate peace.
Forgive us for our habits that sabotage beauty.
Forgive us for our passivity that accepts the unacceptable.
Forgive us for our greed that fuels our idolatry.
Forgive us for our pettiness that robs people we love.
Forgive us for our unbelief that robs You of glory.
Have mercy on us, Lord; have mercy on me.
In Jesus’ strong and loving name.
Amen.

Build My Life (Younker, Martin, Kable, Redman, and Barrett)

Before The Throne (Charitie Lees Bancroft)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: From Romans 8:1

GREETING, SERMON, COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Jesus Paid It All (Elvina Hall, Kristian Stanfill)
Man Of Sorrows (Matt Crocker, Brooke Ligertwood)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

Karen Swallow Prior

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Our guest is Karen Swallow Prior. She’s an English professor at Liberty University. She’s also the author of Booked: Literature in the Soul of Me and Fierce Convictions: The Extraordinary Life of Hannah More ?Poet, Reformer, Abolitionist.

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Show Notes

1:23 – Why Dr. Prior goes by all three names (Karen Swallow Prior) 3:45 – Who she is and where she comes from 6:15 – How and why she made the move to Liberty University 9:38 – What it’s been like working at Liberty for almost 20 years now 14:03 – How she thinks about church (“It’s not about me”) 15:45 – What are legitimate criteria for leaving a church of which you are a member? 17:45 – What she does with her summers (“I sit around and eat bon bons…”) 19:00 – What her new book is about… 21:40 – What her first book – Fierce Convictions – is all about 23:25 – A great question from a listener… 30:05 – If she had to pick three classics for everybody to read, they would be… 32:15 – Best thing she’s watched recently 33:25 – Nerdiest thing she’s into right now 34:30 – Best thing / worst thing she’s seeing in this generation of students 37:30 – Best meal she’s had recently 38:15 – If she could put a billboard anywhere in the world, where would she put it, and what would it say

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in James Lepine • Park Church Podcast

July 30, 2017

This week we’ll be in Psalm 74 for Christ in the Psalms, our annual summer series. Here’s how you can prepare for the service:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 74.

God’s people felt abandoned. They were captives in a foreign land. The places where they worshiped God had been totally destroyed. There was no prophet to deliver a word from the Lord. As far as they could tell, God was not going to act to make any of this right. This week we’ll discuss how Psalm 74 points to God’s steadfast love for us, proven in His Son, Jesus Christ. Even when we feel abandoned, even when God feels distant, due to our own wandering or not, His love for us is never-ending.

As you read the passage, consider asking yourself the following three questions:

  1. How does this Psalm help me pray?
  2. How does this Psalm help me feel?
  3. How does this Psalm help me see Jesus?

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 147:1–11

Beautiful (Phil Wickham)
This Is My Father’s World (Maltbie Davenport Babcock arr. by Gungor)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Almighty and merciful God,
we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much
the devices and desires of our own hearts.
We have offended against your holy laws.
We have left undone those things which we ought to have done;
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.
O Lord, have mercy upon us.
Spare those who confess their faults.
Restore those who are penitent,
according to your promises declared to the world
in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
And grant, O merciful God, for his sake,
that we may live a holy, just, and humble life
to the glory of your holy name.
Amen.

Oh God (Zach Bolen)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: From Romans 8:35–39

No Longer Slaves (Jonathan David Helser, Melissa Helser)

GREETING, SERMON, COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

Twenty-Three (Aaron Strumpel)
One Thing Remains (Christa Black, Brian Johnson, and Jeremy Riddle)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

July 23, 2017

We continue our annual Christ in the Psalms summer series this week with Psalm 73. Here’s how you can prepare for the service:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 73.

Before we get to Asaph’s well-quoted verse 26, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever,” we read his complaint before God about the “prosperity of the wicked.” There are many worthwhile observations here, but among the most prominent is the cause of Asaph’s sudden turn in v. 16–17: upon approaching the Lord in His sanctuary, an issue that seemed complicated and wearisome became quite clear. On its own, that realization helps us, but in context of the rest of the psalm it also reminds us that nearness to God is actual prosperity, and all else is “like a dream when one awakens.”

As you read the passage, consider asking yourself the following three questions:

  1. How does this Psalm help me pray?
  2. How does this Psalm help me feel?
  3. How does this Psalm help me see Jesus?

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 34:1–3; 8–10

Rising Sun (Leonard, Lee, Jordan, Mabury)
(73) The Nearness of You (Asher Seevinck, Dave Wilton)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

God of everlasting love,
we confess that we have been unfaithful
to our covenant with You and with one another.
We have worshiped other gods: money, power, greed, and convenience.
We have served our own self-interest
instead of serving only You and Your people.
We have not loved our neighbor as You have commanded,
nor have we rightly loved ourselves.
Forgive us, gracious God,
and bring us back into the fullness
of our covenant with You and one another.
Through Christ, our Lord.
Amen.

All I Have Is Christ (Jordan Kauflin)

Be Thou My Vision (Mary Elizabeth Byrne, Eleanor Henrietta Hull arr. by Ascend The Hill)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: From Ephesians 2:4–8

GREETING, SERMON, COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

House Of God Forever (Jon Foreman)
Jesus Is Better (Aaron Ivey, Brett Land)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday

July 16, 2017

This week we’ll study Psalm 72 at Park Church, continuing our annual Christ in the Psalms summer series. Here’s how you can prepare for the service:

1. Read through our text, Psalm 72.

Psalm 72 was written by either Solomon or David as a blessing over their lineage and its dynasty. However, as with many Psalms, reading it just in this immediate context gives an incomplete picture. On this side of history, we know that the righteous reign of Davidic kings in Israel was relatively short-lived as a result of sin. We also know that, in Jesus, every line in Psalm 72 and every promise of God to David’s descendants is gloriously fulfilled. This is the big picture of Psalm 72.

As you read the passage, consider asking yourself the following three questions:

  1. How does this Psalm help me pray?
  2. How does this Psalm help me feel?
  3. How does this Psalm help me see Jesus?

2. Read, pray and sing through the service:

CALL TO WORSHIP: From Psalm 98

All Creatures Of Our God And King (William Henry Draper, St. Francis of Assisi)
Rejoice The Lord Is King (Charles Wesley, Joel Limpic)

CONFESSION OF SIN: From The Worship Sourcebook

Righteous God,
You have crowned Jesus Christ as Lord of all.
We confess that we have not bowed before Him
and are slow to acknowledge His rule.
We give allegiance to the powers of this world
and fail to be governed by justice and love.
In Your mercy, forgive us.
Raise us to acclaim Him as ruler of all,
that we may be loyal ambassadors,
obeying the commands of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your Name Is Good (Psalm 54) (Joel Limpic, Scott Mills)

Good Good Father (Anthony Brown, Pat Barrett)

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: From Psalm 103

GREETING, SERMON, COMMUNION
RESPONSE: Song & Prayer

In Tenderness (Gordon, Garvey, Walton arr. Brian Eichelberger)
King Of My Heart (John Mark McMillan, Sarah McMillan)

BENEDICTION

in Preparing for Sunday